More detail on this person: WILLIAM N. ECKERT, LIEUTENANT COLONEL, U. S. ARMY
(RETIRED), DIED AT HOME ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016 FROM COMPLICATIONS AS A
RESULT OF LUNG CANCER. LTC ECKERT WAS 82 YEARS OLD.
HE RETIRED IN 1979 WITH OVER 23 YEARS OF REGULAR ARMY COMMISSIONED SERVICE. HE
SERVED AT FT. HOOD, TEXAS, WITH THE 4TH ARMORED DIVISION IN 1957 AND WITH THE 2ND
ARMORED DIVISION IN 1958. HE SERVED IN KOREA WITH THE EIGHTH U. S. ARMY IN 1959. HE
SAW SERVICE IN EUROPE IN 1963 WITH THE 41ST TRANSPORTATION BATTALION AND AGAIN IN
1968 WITH THE 24TH INFANTRY DIVISION. HE SERVED TWO COMBAT TOURS IN VIETNAM, ONE
IN 1964 WITH THE 1ST AVIATION BRIGAGE AND AGAIN IN 1968 WITH THE FIRST INFANTRY
DIVISION.
A SENIOR ARMY AVIATOR, HE WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE BRONZE STAR FOR VALOR WITH
THREE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, THE MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER,
THE AIR MEDAL WITH 13 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, THE JOINT SERVICE COMMENDATION MEDAL
AND THE ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL. HE WAS A DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE
TRANSPORTATION CORPS REGIMENT. LTC ECKERT RETIRED FROM BUCK KREIHS COMPANY,
INC., A NEW ORLEANS MARINE AND INDUSTRIAL REPAIR COMPANY AS VICE PRESIDENT IN
1996.
HE WAS A LIFE MEMBER OF THE RETIRED OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, LIFE MEMBER OF THE
ARMY AVIATION ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, VIETNAM HELICOPTER PILOTS ASSOCIATION AND
THE SOCIETY OF THE FIRST INFANTRY DIVISION. HE WAS A LIFE MEMBER OF THE ARMY
TRANSPORTATION CORPS AVIATION ASSOCIATION. HE WAS A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE
MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION AND A LIFE MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR
THE UNIFORMED SERVICES.
HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS FATHER COLONEL NORMAN J. ECKERT, MOTHER
MILDRED NORRIS ECKERT, BROTHER COLONEL (RET.) EDWARD N. ECKERT, HIS WIFE OF
THIRTY-THREE YEARS, LINDA KREIHS ECKERT AND HIS WIFE HELEN ANN FRANKS ECKERT.
HE IS SURVIVED BY TWO DAUGHTERS; KATHLEEN ECKERT McDONALD, OF NEW TRIPOLI, PA,
JEANEEN ECKERT MACNAMARA, OF HOUMA, LA, AND SON DAVID WILLIAM ECKERT OF
DIAMONDHEAD, MS; A BROTHER RICHARD A. ECKERT OF OCEAN SPRINGS, MS, AND EIGHT
GRANDCHILDREN; MELISSA, CHRISTINE AND ZACHARY McDONALD, EMILY, ANDREW, AND
SARAH MACNAMARA, AND CHRISTIAN AND GARRET ECKERT. HIS GREAT GRANDCHILDREN
INCLUDE; ANNA RAE AND ELLA LANE McDONALD, AND LIAM KEEGAN MACNAMARA.
THE VISITATION WILL BE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016 FROM 10:00 AM UNTIL 11:00AM
AT THE MOST HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PASS CHRISTIAN, MS. A MASS OF
CHRISTIAN BURIAL WILL BE CELEBRATED AT 11:00AM. THE BURIAL WILL FOLLOW IN GULF
COAST MEMORIAL CEMETARY IN BAY ST. LOUIS, MS.
EDMOND FAHEY FUNERAL HOME IS IN CHARGE OF THE ARRANGEMENTS.
Burial: Gulf Coast Memorial Cemetery, Bay Saint Louis, MS
Burial information: Gulf Coast Memorial Cemetery, Bay Saint Louis, MS
This information was last updated 09/24/2016
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 08/31/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association